The Final Secret
by UnWritten007
Summary: Vindi needs a leader. Who? Daniel Destler,who was raised in V. When he gives into the bad side as Hope is being awarded for good work, how will the dueling siblings, now on opposing sides, make right again after their family is once again split apart?
1. Introduction

**The Final Secret**

_The last story in the Secrets Series_

Summary:

_Three years after Secrets Unlocked took place, Vindicat is growing stronger and wants to appoint their new leader. Who do they want? Daniel Destler, who was born and raised in the Society before his father took him away._

_Hope is in the prime of her career, fighting off the bad guys in the written word of justice._

_When Daniel gives in to the bad side as Hope receives her 'Serving Justice Award", how will the dueling siblings, now on opposite sides, make right after their family is once again split apart?_

_For once, this is a problem not even the crime fighting trio can solve._

Introduction:

The Discussion Room was rarely ever used. But today, five selected people sat around the long table, deep in discussion as they argued the final points of a plan. A very important plan that had been created by the leaders before. A plan that they, the ones left standing, would carry out.

"Think we should pull a Lincoln?"

"Back of the head is a little impersonal, is it not?"

"But look at how it made history. How it caused so many theories-"

"Killing a president, no matter how you do it, is likely to make major history."

"Many think there was a grand conspiracy that went along with the assassination." A new voice offered. "We could prove, in very little time, that in this one, they'd be absolutely correct."

"It's been three years since we were nearly wiped out ourselves. It's time to put our brains together and get a stable plan put together that we're sure will work. It doesn't need to be fancy, as long as the end game is accomplished." Orrick Apollo stated, the current acting leader until a new one could be appointed.

"Arnold Booth is awaiting further direction from us. He asks to see the President privately and does his business there. We've applied him with the proper equipment already. We're to send men to take care of the guards. At the same time, we'll have men placed to take care of the Vice. Then we await for our Leader and address the public." Alexandra Hansen ordered.

Always outspoken, the daughter of the previous leader took command.

"I still vote that we do it somewhere public. A theater, perhaps?"

There was a glimmer in Orrick's eye. "Speaking of theaters...I believe Broadway is in for a surprise..." Clicking on the television in the corner, he turned his attention to the man and woman currently speaking to their public.

The words scrolling at the bottom of the screen stopped all previous talk and turned current aggrivations towards this new distraction.

_Hope Connick and Dallen Jude speak out about their new book, their new lives and how the Society behind the Symbolic Murders was brought down with a little help._

"And her...I'm sick of seeing her face everywhere. She'll need to be dealt with soon. And take her partner out too. As for her brother...I'll be seeing to him." Apollo said with a sneer.

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"Look! Hope, Dal, you're missing it!" Daniel shouted from his spot on the sofa, pointing to the television.

Hope, with a bowl of popcorn in her hands and a notebook tucked under her arm, ran to the sofa and plopped down. Dallen followed, jumping over the back and landing between the siblings.

_"I think the work that everyone has put in to this is really wonderful. It was a true miracle that justice was able to be served three years ago, and hopefully will continue. My family, friends and partner have all been dedicated to the cause for many years. It's good to see that they can rest in peace now, while we bask in the glory of our victory."_

Daniel bit his lip, side glancing over at his sister. "Hope...that was a nice speach and all but..."

"But what?" She asked, her full attention now on him.

"Vindicat isn't going to like it."

"Vindicat is dead." She said firmly.

"No, it's not. You know it's not. We've always said they'd make a comeback-"

"It's been three years without a word."

"They've gone longer in the past. They're waiting to regroup. To be stronger than ever. Then they'll strike the country with vengeous and they won't stop at petty single murders of family members and the elderly."

Her glare narrowed. "What do you know, Daniel?"

"Nothing but how they work."

Dallen looked between the both of them, then shook his head. "Guys, really. None of us know what's going on. Hope, maybe you should refrain some of your enthusasm when speaking in public. Daniel, you have to tell us if you suspect anything or if there's anything you remember...plans...that you heard about while in Vindi."

Daniel looked back at the television, his eyes nearly bulging. That man, in the first row of the crowd...

"Daniel? Agreed?"

He nodded, absentmindedly, still staring in shock at the man who was focused intently on his sister. "Yeah...yeah, agreed."

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	2. Budding Dreams

_Go confindently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined." _

_-Thoreau_

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"Okay, can you hear us, Mom?" Hope asked, adjusting the web cam that showed her parents, still down in Rouen.

"I can hear you." Katherine confirmed, smiling beautifully in to the camera. "But where's Daniel?"

"I made him go change his shirt-"

"I'm here!" Daniel ran to the computer and sat himself directly in front of the camera. "Hey mom, hey Dad!" He looked up at his big sister. "Where's my cake?"

Hope laughed with a roll of her eyes, then headed in to the kitchen, where Dallen was, putting the finishing touches on the cake she had made. "Finished?"

He put on the last letter in red, shiny icing, then stepped back to admire his work with a grin. "Good for a first timer, huh?"

She kissed his cheek. "Don't quit your day job, buddy." She teased, then started to light the different colored candles.

Dallen took it in his hands, Hope following behind him out of the kitchen. Their two voices met with Katherine and Erik's in a sweet version of Happy Birthday to Daniel.

"I wish I could be there with the both of you." Katherine said wistfully. "Erik and Justin have been busy trying to find someone to pass their detective business over to and Dallen, Christine had her baby last night. She said to tell you hello for her. And of course, that you have a new little niece to join your three nephews."

Dallen's face lit up. "A girl, finally?"

"Yes, but the couple are still arguing over the name - they both thought it would be another boy." Katherine's voice sounded weary, most likely from having to hear said arguments while helping care for the boys.

Hope curled in a ball on the sofa while Dallen insisted on cutting the cake.

Three years hadn't changed much in her, but made so much a difference in the ones around her. Katherine, though she still had her occasional bad days, seemed to go back to the woman she had been before Vindicat had grabbed her. Erik had learned how to become one of the living again. No longer a workaholic, he was around the house and out with his wife more than he ever had before. He no longer took little moments for granted.

Dallen was becoming a little more domestic. A full time New York journalist, he still made time to come home and cook a dinner when Hope accidently fell asleep from a late night of writing. Or he'd volunteer to do dishes. He was even beginning to pick up his dirty clothes from the floor and get them in to the washing machine.

Justin, her father...well, he was becoming his own person for the first time in his life. He was newly engaged to his long time girlfriend, Jessie, both living back in Marietta. Justin had made the move back down to the small city after Hope and Daniel left for New York, no longer needing to be attached to Rouen. He learned how to give his loved ones plenty of breathing room. All but Jessie, that was.

The only ones that didn't seem to change over the last three years were her and Daniel. And Will, who had yet to return from his long term vacation.

Daniel still acted the same as when he came from Vindicat. Sweet, but suspicious. Nervous, complete with shifty eyes. He worked out all the time, keeping the skills he had learned finely toned. He didn't like being in close quarters, didn't like bright lights or crowds. When he was in public, his eyes roamed the crowd. Ever searching for faces he once knew, for weapons in hands like the ones he once carried. He tried to keep his habits hidden, but they didn't get past her.

And Hope herself, she had received the fame that she had always longed for. But there was still something that constantly lingered in the pit of her stomach. Fear. Vindicat's venom. She lashed out whenever Daniel suggested what Vindicat, still alive, was probably doing now. Most likely the reason was the dark cloud of dread hanging over her. She knew that if Vindicat were alive, their target would again be on her family. On her. And they wouldn't pull petty pranks this time. No, they wouldn't stop at just that.

"Cake?" Dallen asked, holding out a plate with a slice on it.

She shook her head apologetically. "I'm not hungry."

He looked disappointed, the smile slipping from his lips. "You're never hungry anymore."

She offered him a shrug. What could she say? With her stomach bubbling with her anxiety, there wasn't much room left over for food.

"At least take it for Daniel's sake. He's not blind. He sees the leftovers too."

Dutifully, she accepted the plate and smiled over at the camera when she heard her name mentioned. Then she picked up one of her notebooks, flipped to a page filled with her notes and studied it.

"How are you doing?" Dallen asked, sitting beside her with his own helping of cake.

"Quite well, actually. Tomorrow I need you to drop me off Stardust Diner on your way to work. I have a lunch planned with Pete." Pete Donalue, her agent.

"Oh really? What does he want?"

"Me. To sign a deal for an..." She remembered the camera and lowered her voice. "Autobiography about my life and about my family. The play by play of how I found out about Vindi and all that."

"Wow, that sounds great. And even better - you don't have to do any research for it."

She smiled, remembering how lonely he acted when she practically moved in to the library down the street while righting her last book. "Yeah, well that's what I got from a five second phone call. We'll see how it goes."

Dallen nodded. "Do you need me to pick you up afterwards?"

"I'll be okay." She handed him back her still full plate then wished her parents a good night before heading to her bedroom.

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Dallen looked over at his former partner, doubt in his eyes. "Are you positive that Daniel shouldn't attend these meetings with you?"

Hope sighed, looking out the window. "I won't agree to anything until I review it with him. Now stop worrying that I'm going to get all glossy eyed over an offer and get myself in to trouble with a society that doesn't even exist anymore. Thanks to us, by the way."

Dallen's lips pressed together until they went an odd white. He hated when she kept insisting upon things they all knew to be false. They messed with the devil. There was no way he'd back down now. He'd be back. They should be ready instead of denying.

Pulling up to the curb, Hope bounced out of the car before it even came to a complete stop. "Nothing bad will happen to us. Not any more," she promised before slamming the door shut and hurrying in to the restuarant.

He pulled away, continuing down Broadway to get to his own job.

He worried about Hope. Too much so. But perhaps not enough.

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"So what do you think? An autobiography about yourself. What you've been through. How you discovered you were linked to this mystery you were researching. How you found your real family - a woman thought long dead, a man living under a different name. A boy who the world never knew existed. A Society no one could track down. It's exciting. I think so. You think so. I guarentee the world does too. Your first book sold in wonders. Along with your articles and interviews, you've become a household name. So give them what they want, Hope. Another book. An inside look at you and your life. What do you think?"

Hope nearly had tears in her eyes, she was so excited. She wanted to do it. The sentences were already alining themselves in her head, begging to come out on paper. She wanted this. She could do this. "I think it's a wonderful idea."

"So you'll do it?"

She stopped, remembering her promise to Dallen. She wouldn't get carried away. She'd ask her brother about this first.

Well, that would be easy enough. She'd just make Daniel say it was fine. This was about her, wasn't it? Not about Vindicat. Nothing harmful in only telling her story. With brief mentions of the Society that had made her famous. After all, he own mother suffered in the hands of Vindicat. So did her brother. Her father. Her dad. Their friends. It was only fair to have something good come out of it, however small.

"Could you hold on? Just a sec?" She walked away from the table, dialing her home number.

"You calling about the meeting?" Daniel asked. He always did know when it was her, without anything so handy as caller ID. She had yet to figure out how.

"Yes. I wanted to know-"

"Does it have anything - anything, Hope - to do with Vindi?"

She licked her lips. "May-"

"Then say no," he responded strictly, hanging up before she could argue her point. 

Well that was unfair. She didn't deserve such abrupt replies. This was her career. Her dream. She was finally getting what she wanted and two of the most important people in her life kept beating her down.

Did she ever once tell Dallen he couldn't do an article on something he wanted to do? Something that made first page? Did she ever tell Daniel he couldn't do what he wanted? No. Never. It wasn't fair they all had such tight reign on her when she never imprisioned them.

Squaring her shoulders, she walked back to her agent. "I'll take the offer."

A grin appeared on his face as he shook her hand. "Brilliant. You're going to be going places, Hope. I just know it. I'm going to make your name legendary."

She couldn't help it. She liked the sound of that.

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"I'm going for a walk." Daniel announced, flicking off the television and grabbing his coat.

Hope waited until he was out the door before she ran back in to be bedroom, locking herself in, and bringing out her notebook and laptop.

She had decided that if Dallen and Daniel wouldn't support her writing, she'd do so without them knowing. Whenever Dallen, who worked late hours, was gone and Daniel was out, she'd begin writing. Even at night, she'd will her keyboard to quiet the clicking noises it made as she typed her way through the chapters.

She hated going behind their backs, but at the same time, it was exciting. A thrill. And she was doing it for the good of everyone.

With the money she'd raise with this book, she'd put it all away for her parents. So when Erik and Justin finally did decide to pass on their office, something they'd been talking about for the last few years, she could give them the money to live off of. The state had offered help, but Erik was too proud to take it. He'd work. But she'd come to help when he retired.

It provided her with constant motivation. She knew her material. She knew what the book needed. She never ran out on inspiration. It was a feeling of true writer's bliss and she loved every moment of it. 

The phone rang, cutting her off in midsentence. Reluctantly moving her fingers from hovering over her keys, she answered the annoyance.

"Hope Connick speaking."

What the person on the other end of the line told her set her shaking. She nearly dropped the phone and screamed. Oh my God...

"Are you sure it's for me?" She asked with a tremble in her voice. 

The man on the other end laughed. "Of course. Don't you think you deserve it?"

"A Serving the Justice award? I never expected anything like that!" Honestly, she never knew such a thing existed. But she wasn't going to argue.

"You've come a long way from a small town reporter, Miss. Connick. You've done a lot of hard work for innocent people. You're also in the spotlight for it now. When the question was posed, there was only one name on everyone's lips. Yours."

"It's a true honor. Thank you very much."

She was going to receive an award for her hard work. It only made her more sure that Vindicat was dead. How could anything so terrible come near here now when she was in such a state of happiness? Nothing would ruin this. Nothing.

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Daniel walked down the dark street, crowded despite the late hour. 

Midnight walks calmed him. In a crowd of people, he felt like himself. He felt normal. He blended in. He was, for just a little while, like everyone else

Though that didn't mean he could relax.

His eyes darted at each face that passed him. Noting what they were carrying. What could be in that bag - what was in that pocket? These city sidewalks were just screaming massacer. It was so easy. A sharp knife, dagger...a few swift arcs. You could take out more than a dozen people within seconds and keep walking - no one would know it was you. And in the dark, the gleam of the blade wouldn't show unless you were unfortunate enough to be standing under a bright light that shown through the crowd. That was your own stupidity then.

His sister was always annoyed with the way he watched people. He was just being cautious. Looking out for her and himself. She hadn't grown up in the world's most dangerous society. She didn't know what people were truly capable of.

She made her fame from exploiting Vindicat, yet she didn't know the first thing about it. No one did, except those left who were in it. And him. His mother included. No one else. Certainly not Hope. Yet she always wanted to say she knew better. That she understood him perfectly.

He couldn't stand her sometimes. The know it all attitude. He knew it was all a show. That she was actually just really worried. Scared that she was wrong and it would all go to hell again.

So he played the part of the gracious brother. The one who never lost his temper or yelled the truth in to her brain. He sat by in waiting and watching, trying in vain to keep her safe, while she went about in her naive world.

Night reminded him of his old home in Vindicat. It was usually dark in the halls. It gave it that eeriness that fit so well with the place. Sometimes he missed it. The calm quiet that so often ruled his world back then. Quiet, when a murder wasn't being planned or theories weren't being worked out for future attacks. Still, it had been the only home he knew for fifteen long years and he had grown accustomed to it.

Unlike this place, in any hour but this one.

Daniel turned his attention back to the faces when one particularly caught his eye. No, he wasn't carrying a weapon or looked evil.

He was the man who had been front row at his sister's speach. He was a man that Daniel knew very well.

Instead of stopping to speak a word, not that he expected it, the man swiftly put something inside the leather pocket of Daniel's coat and kept going.

Daniel knew better than to look at it here, now. Instead, he'd finish his walk like everything was normal and go home to read.

But the weight of the note felt more like that of a dozen bricks. Somehow, he knew that his world was beginning to spill back in to insanity. That it would soon be flipped upside down, back in to that normal place he knew.

It was only a matter of time now.

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Dallen watched his young roommate sit at the table, pushing the food around his plate. He hadn't eaten more than a bite or two all day.

"What's going on with him?" He whispered to Hope, sitting next to him. 

But she didn't look over at her brother. She just kept looking at a blank wall, her lips moving but her voice quiet. 

"Hope?"

She didn't respond. Okay, so there was now two people here who seemed out of their mind. He knew he was at work a lot, but had he been missing so much? What was going on with these siblings, so lost in their separate thoughts?

Hope suddenly popped up from the sofa, excitement in her eyes, her cheeks aglow. "I'm tired. I think I'll head to bed."

She certainly didn't look tired. She looked very alive and jumpy. But before he could say anything of the sort, she ran to her bedroom with lightning speed and locked the door behind her.

That's interesting.

Not long later, Daniel pushed away from the table. "Bedroom." He muttered to Dallen, then started walking slowly to his room. He seemed weighed down by something that wasn't bound to be common knowledge any time soon.

Curious.

Maybe he was gone too much. Hope had mentioned it in her own little ways of her's, but he hadn't thought it would make such a difference in what he missed out on.

He mentally noted to get to the bottom of this before packing his suitcase and heading out the door. An article needed fine tuning and had a deadline of the next morning that called his attention.

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	3. Lusting to be Normal

_"Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal."_  
-Albert Camus

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Daniel fingered the duct tape in his hands. Wondering if he should really do it. Afraid what would happen if he did - or didn't.

Hope trusted him. Gave him free reign to do whatever he wanted. He was free to pursue his passions, whatever he discovered they were.

But this wasn't what she had in mind. She wanted to be proud of her little brother. To be on that other side of the fine line between right and wrong. Like she was. Pure and trustworthy, honest and hard working for the greater good. And it was paying off, wasn't it? At least in the public eye it was. That award...God, she was so proud. So were mom and dad. Hell, Katherine had tears in her eyes when she found out.

The only time he'd ever seen tears in her eyes caused by him were tears of pain and anguish. Never of pride. Never from thinking, _my God, thank you for letting that one be my child_. She hadn't known him long, with their situation in Vindicat being as it was, but she loved him. Wanted him to follow in his sibling's footsteps.

Would he?

He wasn't sure. In fact, he was pretty positive he wouldn't.

The duct tape fell from his hands, as if it was giving him a second chance to reconsider.

But he was too far gone as it was. He had been started in this, he'd have to finish it as well.

He ached for his normal, far from this. What he was living in now. How could Hope blame him for that? In her times of trial, what was the one thing she yearned for? For things to go back to what she was used to. To go back to normal. She had gotten it and was happy.

He hadn't and he wasn't.

But now he had the chance. A written invitation, begging for him to come back to the fold.

No, more than that. To be the leader of that place he once knew. To rule his normal, have it in the palm of his hand so that it would never escape from him again. He'd be in charge, making the rules.

Wasn't that all he ever wanted? To be in charge of his own destiny instead of letting others lead him around like a slave? Hovering over him, observing every move. Darien. Dominic. Erik. Hope. They all wanted to make him do their bidding in disguise of trying to make him happy.

He wasn't happy. But he could be. He could be...

He would.

Yes, he decided. He'd do it.

Looking at the clock on the wall, he realized he had two more minutes.

Taking two long pieces of the grey sticky tape, each as long as an arm, he carefully placed them on his window.

He stepped back, admired his work. Perfect.

There was no way a scout would miss a V this large. He'd be back to normal in no time.

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Hope pulled the foam curlers from her hair, leaving auburn waves behind. Biting her lip, she looked at her reflection in the oval mirror over the dresser.

"What do you think?" She asked worriedly to Dallen, clad in a black suit, who was coming up to admire.

"Beautiful."

She smiled, turning to him. "Now tell me the real answer."

He let his gaze wonder down her dark blue glistening dress. The toes of her matching high heels just barely peeked out from the floor length skirt, a dazzling saphire hung at the hollow of her throat, highlighting her low collar line.

"A vision." He whispered, kissing her cheek.

Daniel appeared at the door, rolling his eyes. "If you two are quite done, I'm going to head out for the night."

Dallen's eyebrows slammed low on his forehead. "You're not coming with us?"

"No offense, but it's a stuffy award ceremony. Not my thing. Hope knows I'm proud of her. I'll watch it on tv."

Dallen looked upset but Hope just waved at him on his way out. "Have a good time. Stay out of trouble and don't stay out too late."

"Yeah, mom." Daniel mocked with a fake grin, hurrying out of the house. He had an appointment to keep.

"What's been going on with him lately?" Dallen asked when the boy was gone.

"What do you mean? He seems fine."

Of course she wouldn't know - she's been just as wrapped up in her thoughts as her brother. "He's very...distant."

"He has a busy mind and a lot to think about, now that he's eighteen."

"And you?"

She grabbed a lace cream colored shawl to wrap around her arms, then turn to him. "What do you mean?"

"You've been very...thoughful lately."

"I'm busy too," she replied simply.

"So am I, but I've been noticing changes around here. They worry me."

She shook her head, the newly curled hair swishing back and forth. "I doubt there's anything to worry about. Definitely not on my part. Come now, we'll be late."

Slipping her hand around his arm, she led him out of the room and towards the door, trying to keep the look of dismay out of her eyes. He was already suspicious...how would she get through the next few months of her writing if he was already catching on?

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Daniel drummed on the table with his thumbs as he side gazed at the tv in the corner.

"This back alleyway is perfect for entrance and exit. There will be fans lined up at the back door - here - so we'll have to take a few agents to dress as police to keep them out. That famous star - what's her name? - will be guest spotting, so it will be believable."

The words went in to one ear, out the other without making a pit stop to his brain. He was watching Hope, all smiles and full of her joyous, innocent love. She was speaking to a large audience, under the light, dazzling. Holding a plaque tightly in her fingers.

"Daniel? Are you paying attention?" Orrick Apollo asked.

Daniel's best friend since he was four, Orrick was twelve years older and was once a prized teacher in Vindicat. But he was a lot of fun too, in his earlier years. Now, though he still had his joker smile and a gleam of mischief in his eye, he was stern. A temporary leader.

Until Daniel decided to take the place as their new leader.

"Yeah. Yeah, I am." He assured, hoping no one would ask him what anyone had said in the last half hour. "What about her?" He asked them, nudging his head towards the television.

"Her? Don't worry about that wreck. We'll be taking care of her."

A chill ran through him, but he hid it. He was good at hiding things. "What are you going to do?"

"You'll see. Now if you'll focus back to the board..."

If Daniel continued to question, it would become suspicious. So he dropped the conversation and stared at the white board dutifully, nodding when he needed to, ignoring his clenched heart when it acted up.

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Hope drummed her fingers on the white tablecloth, trying to keep a smile on for those curious eyes around her.

She'd been sitting in this fancy restuarant for over an hour, awaiting Dallen's arrival. She had called him three times but his phone was turned off.

And now the smile was slipping in to a shaky frown.

She was tired from losing so much sleep, dedicating late hours to her book. She was used to sleeping when Dallen was working during the afternoons, but today he had promised he'd take part of the day off to take her to dinner. He'd meet her there.

Yeah, right.

She wished she had brought her laptop. Maybe next time she would. She was wasting precious hours, just sitting here, watching her red wine go warm and her bread stale.

"You're Hope Connick." Not a question, a statement, from the man who appeared at her table suddenly.

She smiled at him. Another fan, perhaps? A good looking one, if he was. "I am."

"Are you...waiting for someone? Am I interrupting? God, I'm sorry. I'm a big fan of yours and-"

She waved off his words. "By no means, you're not interrupting. I was supposed to be meeting someone, but they're late. Would you like to take a seat?" At least it would cut her boredom.

He grinned graciously at her, sliding in to the booth opposite of hers.

He had sandy blonde, curly hair and blue green eyes. Tall, well over six foot. And very handsome - indeed, she didn't mind welcoming him to her table.

"My name is Cillian Conrad. It's a pleasure to meet you." He offered his hand and she took it. His strong grip wrapped around her hand, sending a tingle of her own pleasure up her arm.

"So what do you do? Are you a reporter?"

He laughed, a rich, golden sound. "No. No interviews from me, have no fear. I'm just a small town lawyer, having a bit of vacation, getting away from it all." He shrugged off his title. "Nothing compared to you. You've made great headway in a short time. It's really admirable."

"Thank you." She blushed.

"I read your book. It was fascinating. I didn't put it down once - read all three hundred, sixty-two pages in one sitting."

"That's quite a compliment, Mr. Conrad."

"Cillian, please."

"That's quite the compliment, Cillian."

"You're quite the inspirational lady, Miss Connick."

She had to admit - this was quite enjoyable. It wasn't every day she had men like him come up to her. "What made you take a vacation at this time of year?"

He shrugged, frowning slightly. God, that made him look even more gorgeous. "I'm sure you can understand. The stress of it all, the obsession. You get so wrapped up in cases that you need a little room to breath once in a while. Remember who you are, instead of your clients. I just finished a big case that I had been working on for a few months. I was starting to feel a bit claustrophobic. Really, I think I won that case on just sheer will to simply have it over with," he teased.

"Sounds fascinating. I always wondered what it would be like to be a lawyer. I like arguing and I like winning those arguments."

"Sounds like it would have been right up your alley!"

She smiled. "I don't do well in front of large audiences."

"I'd have to disagree."

She'd be lying if she said that she didn't like this man's company, that was for sure. "You're a very agreeable man. Where have you been all my life?"

He chuckled. "I don't know, sadly. Where you have been?"

"I've been a New Yorker for nearly three years now. Before that I lived in a very small town, called Rouen, but that was for a very short while - a few months. I grew up in Marietta, a beautiful place. Sometimes, when New York gets a little too hectic, I start to miss it. I can smell the big gardens. See the big town houses and the refinished old buildings. My brother hates small towns, but I must admit that I love them. Find myself very much at home in them."

"I can understand that. I too, grew up in a little town. Yet I love the rush of New York. The excitement."

They seemed to have a lot in common and Hope had to like this charming man. She sipped her wine and offered him some as well.

He skillfully poured his share out, twirled his wine in the cup, sniffed, then sipped. "So, tell me Miss Connick, what brings you here? All alone in such a romantic restaurant?"

Her smile faded. "I was supposed to be meeting my partner here."

"Ah, a business engagement?"

She shook her head. "Something a bit more. We've been roommates for a while now, partners for longer. Dallen seems to want our relationship to go farther, so he set this up as a trial."

"And you? What do you want?"

She shook her head, looking away from his searching eyes. "I don't know. I like him a lot. More than a lot. But I've never had a serious relationship. And I'm no longer the trusting person I once was. I don't form tight bonds easily. Except to my brother, of course, but that's different."

"So you're not one to rush in to things?"

"Not at all - unless it comes to business. Then I want to jump in to it head first."

His mouth twitched in to a smile. Charming. "Well, Miss Connick, if you ever find yourself in a dateless position again, don't hesitate to call me." He produced a card from his pocket. "I'd ask for your phone number to call you, as a proper man should, but I don't want to be imposing on your new venture into a possible relationship. I'll be staying in town for a few months though, and I often find myself lonely in big places like this, despite the adventureous thrill."

Hope held the card in her hand carefully, trying not to blush. "That's a sweet offer, Cillian. Thank you."

He nodded, and she had the feeling he would have tipped his hat to her if he had one. A modern aged gentleman, surely.

She watched his fading form walk to the door, then blend in with the crowds outside.

Well, that certainly put a spin on the evening. Quite an interesting turn of events, really.

She waved over the waiter, paid her wine bill, then left for home. She had a job to do, and a card to put in to a frame.

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Hope sipped her coffee, ignoring the graininess that always occured when Dallen made it.

He sat across from her, exchanging glances between the newspaper he was reading and her.

"I'm really sorry, Hope."

Ah, so they were at that again. "I told you, it's fine."

"I know, I just feel really guilty about it. It was my idea and I didn't even show. And you sat at the table, all by yourself, for so long."

Oh yeah, she hadn't told him about the man who had kept her from being lonely. She decided that it was best for all of them if she left that part omitted. "Really, Dal. It's fine. Maybe we'll try again when you're not so busy."

His brow furrowed, obviously torn over something. "My dad was always busy with work. He'd make me promises about things and then not keep them. I don't want to be like my dad."

"It was just one occasion," she assured.

Something in the newspaper caught his eye then, tearing his attention away from one subject and in to the next. "I can't believe it! I can not believe it!" He shouted angrily at the paper.

She looked over at him, concerned. "What is it?"

"My father lost his case. Everyone said he'd win it - the guy was as guilty as hell. The evidence against him was outstanding. The guy never even had a chance - everyone said so," he steamed. "That...that jerk won it instead. My father hates him...this guy can win any case he wants. It's really unbelievable."

"What guy? Has your father went against him before?"

"Plenty of times, actually. Lost every time. Damn that Con."

"Con?"

"It's his nickname. The Con. Because he can pull one over on any damn judge. Cillian freaking Merrick-Conrad. The damnable conman."

He growled while Hope struggled to keep her composure. Cillian Conrad - the guy she had met last night? He did say he was a small town lawyer - but apparently - 'The Con' wasn't small anything. And since Dallen's father was on prosecution, that meant Cillian Conrad was on defense - and was good at his job, if Dallen's temper was any indication.

"How is it I've never heard of him before?" She asked to herself, not realizing she said it outloud.

"You've never heard of _The Con_? How can that be?"

She shook her head and accepted the paper greedily when Dallen forfeited it over.

"Can you believe they gave that man an award last year? Said he was one of the sexiest men in America! He's a bloody criminal - he should be in jail, not recieving awards to have women swoon over him."

Could she believe it? Oh yes, yes she could. Very easily, in fact.

The paper said he was a twenty eight year old lawyer that was apparently on fire - in looks, appeal, and in the court room. He was also burning up the nation - the ladies, and the court systems.

And she had dined with him last night.

Still, he was a bad guy, was he not? She was on the good team - hell, she had just gotten an award pinning her to the good side. So how could she sit there and admire a man that she should be agreeing with her partner about and disliking him?

The attraction wasn't that strong, surely. She had more depth than that.

Yet why was she not repulsed? She worked hard to get the bad guys caught. He worked hard to make her hard work worthless and get the bad guys released back on the streets. To hurt more innocent people.

She took a deep breath, handing the paper over again. So she wouldn't call him again. There was no need to. She had something going with Dallen already. It was nice to meet the man to fulfill a few minutes. They parted aimiably. There was no need to continue the friendship, just so that it could turn sour.

"I have to go call my father." Dallen announced, already walking out of the room.

Hope nodded, her gaze falling on her brother. He was staring at her in interest, apparently listening to all they had said - and not said, on her part.

She glared at him and stuck out her tongue, both teasing and serious, then left the room herself. She had to calm her rapid heart rate before she could continue on with her work.

Which reminded her - why would Cillian Merrick-Conrad - 'The Con' - be interested in her work?

Okay, so the interest in this guy showed no signs of stopping. Well, she'd just have to find out a bit about him. Once she figured out how horrid of a person he was, she would no longer care about anything he had said last night.

Surely she knew this to be true.

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	4. Worldly Passions

_Of all worldly passions, lust is the most intense. All other worldly passions seem to follow in it's train.  
-Buddha_

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"Why are you so interested in him all of a sudden?"

Hope nearly jumped out of her skin, the chair toppling backwards to the floor. "God Daniel, how many times do I have to tell you to stop sneaking up on me like that? We all know your stealthy ways - now quit them."

Daniel grinned. "So what are you doing that makes you so jumpy?"

She shut her laptop, protecting herself. "What does it matter to you? Isn't it time for your walk or something?"

"Ah, so it's something important, but not good. Something...perhaps Dallen shouldn't know about?"

Her eyes reduced in to slits, her glare piercing through. "What do you know?"

He shrugged innocently. "Nothing much. But I saw you laughing it up with that guy you're researching. You know the one...that guy that Dallen absolutely hates?"

"If you'd tell him..."

He held up his hands. "I won't."

"Do you know anything about him?"

He seemed to be at war with himself suddenly, his dark eyes clouding over, his forehead crinkling. "Uh...um..." Was he starting to sweat?

"Danny, it's not that hard of a question." She reminded him.

He smiled shakily, nodding. "Yeah...no, I don't know him. But you're right, it's time for my walk. I got to go."

Looking at the clock, she saw it was only nine o'clock. She had just been joking when she suggested it before. What was going on with him?

Shaking it off, she opened her laptop and continued searching on the man who, instead of looking repulsive to her, started looking...quite admirable, if not just from his dedication to his work.

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"Daniel, this is our new head stratagist, Alex. Alex, this is Rif."

Daniel stared at the girl who looked so young and innocent. Too innocent to be in here, certainly. She looked like a few years older than he was, but could she ever be what he was?

"How long has she been here?" He asked instead of a hello.

"Nearly three years. Recruited right after her father died."

Daniel looked interested now. Yes, he could see Dominic in her. In the eyes, the tan skin. So she was the former leader's daughter. "Did you come here willingly or were you forced?"

She shrugged, offering a pout. "A bit of both. Though I liked my old job here better than this Head Statagist stuff."

"Which was?"

"Spy." Her grin was an obvious clue in how they led her in here.

"Why are you no longer a spy then?"

"They say I deserve better." She tapped the side of her head. "I'm smart and the blood in me is rich."

Orrick decided to cut the chit chat. "She'll be your partner for a while. Letting you know what's going on at all times, keeping you updated on anything new. That is...if you've decided."

Alex looked between the two of them, interested. Daniel watched her long hip length flaxen hair swish with her movement out of the corner of his eye, giving him time before answering. "Yeah, I've decided." He offered his hand to his friend, signifying which way his decision had went.

Apollo smiled wickedly. "Alex, this is Rif. He's the new Vindi leader. Treat him like one and you shouldn't have many problems around here."

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"Everything is going as planned. Everyone is in position, awaiting our next moves. Now that the plan is laid out, we need to do one more thing," Orrick announced to the people at the table. His eyes scanned each person, landing on Daniel.

"We need to make sure that our enemies will have no part in our plan. We can't have risks - this needs to go off smoothly or our point will never come across. We'll be a laughing stock - never to be taken seriously again. Years of work...useless."

He paced in front of the table, making sure each member knew the extent of what he was saying. "We'll be placing agents where there are threats to keep an eye out on those who can not be trusted to stay away."

Daniel knew exactly what his friend was getting at. He was just waiting to hear the words.

Apollo ran down a list of names before his dark gaze landed where expected. "Katherine and Erik Destler."

Of course his parents would be on the list. They were the most active enemies Vindicat had. They were also the most watched couple, kept under microscope, each move carefully evaluated.

"They no longer have affairs with Vindi. They're not a threat," Daniel spoke carefully.

"Then you won't mind us putting someone on them. To watch only, of course."

As the Head Leader, Daniel could have fought this. After all, he controlled the outside affairs. Orrick Apollo was his partner, his equal, who controlled the happenings inside Vindi. Daniel had the right to call him out on this, but to what extent? What trouble - what doubt - would this cause if he put a stop to something so soon? Was it worth it?

Apollo promised a spy, a cold operative - someone to simply be there, listen, gather information and report back. No touching. No harm. 

Erik and Katie - his parents - would be okay. No worries. 

The again, this was Vindicat. 

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Hope drummed her fingers. Bit her lip until it chapped. Tapped her bare toes against the floor, slipped from her fancy heels.

Not fair. It really wasn't. She made time for Dallen. This was his idea, yet she was putting more in to it than he was.

It was more tempting than she had expected. The phone, begging to her like black sin, laid in her hand, the card stuck between the flap.

The card that would ease her boredom.

She didn't dare. No, of course not. This man was the enemy of the man she was meeting. Her partner. The man who cared for her. It wouldn't be right to actually call him back.

Yet it wasn't right to leave her here, awaiting for someone who wouldn't show. Again.

She gave him five more minutes before dialing.

"I'm down the street, actually. I'll be there in a few," came the rich, deep voice of Cillian Conrad. The Con. The enemy. The bad guy.

The bad guy that just happened to look like heaven and smoke in the courts. Too good looking for his own good - and hers.

When he showed, quicker than she respected, he had a smile ready for her upon his lush mouth and his eyes already in seduction mode.

Before they could do anything more than simply greet each other, the waiter came.

"Champaigne, please," he ordered before she could decline.

"A special occasion today?" Perhaps another victory for the bad guys?

His lips formed in to a liquid grin. "It is now, Hope."

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Hope placed her notebook by her arm, opened to the page designated for her story. Opening the story document on her laptop, she prepared for another marathon writing session.

But before she could type in her first words, she stopped. Her fingers trembled above the keyboard, unsure of what direction they should go.

She had never been good at doing something behind someone's back, let alone keeping a secret from everyone. A secret that could help her parents, or possibly ruin them. Why was she taking that chance?

Not to mention Dallen, who had trusted her to not do anything stupid. Well, here she was writing a potentially dangerous book behind his back and seeing the man he hated.

She knew what she was doing would be viewed as wrong by others, but what about her?

She'd spent her whole life, taking care of Justin, making sure he was okay and thought she was too. Chasing after her career since she was ten. Not having any other family to rely on but the man she tried to protect from everything. He always seemed so strong, yet vulnerable. She had tiptoed through her childhood, making sure he didn't have to worry about anything more than he already did.

One part of her just wanted to break free. To look out for only number one for a change. To do whatever she wanted - to break out of the old routine she'd been stuck in.

Just for once, she'd like to forget about family. About her partner. About responsibilities, attachments, previous engagements. To live for her, do what she wanted to do. 

But she couldn't. Vindicat had taken that away from her. She had to watch every step she made to make sure they weren't watching her or planning an attack on her family from something she was doing. She was trapped, unable to get out.

So maybe this book was her way of getting a bit of what she needed. Indulging herself in a way that she couldn't otherwise.

Maybe it was what was freeing her soul. Making her happy again. Releasing her from her damning chains. Did that make it right? No, of course not. But it did make it a little too hard to resist.

So she'd right the book. For herself, if nothing else. And if she couldn't live with it, she'd refuse publishing and it will stay a secret.

About Con though...well, he wasn't so easy to sort out. She'd deal with the book first, then decide on what to do about Cillian later.

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End file.
